Easy separating package and method

Abstract

A hermetically sealed food product package is provided having a vacuum sealed or gas flushed and sealed product cavity and having a preformed perforated or cutaway portion on at least one of the sheets of film forming the package to allow easy separation of the package in order to gain access to the vacuum or gas flushed product cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A hermetically sealed gas flushed or vacuum package comprising: at least two opposing faces of barrier film having their faces in intimate contact about their periphery forming an outer seal;   an inner seal extending parallel with a portion of the outer seal and disposed inwardly therefrom cooperating with a second portion of the outer seal to form a product cavity;   a tear away strip defined by a, first line of weakening extending substantially parallel to said inner seal and disposed above the inner seal; and   a tab portion defined by a second line of weakening on said two opposing faces of barrier film integral with said tear away strip that separates from said package, and said second line of weakening forms a cutaway portion on one of said two opposing faces of barrier film which separates from said opposing face of barrier film when said tear away strip is severed from said package to allow easy separation of said two opposing faces of barrier film for access to said product cavity.   
     
     
       2. The package of claim 1 wherein said barrier film is multilayered oxygen barrier film. 
     
     
       3. The package of claim 1 wherein said two opposing faces of barrier film are of dissimilar composition. 
     
     
       4. The package of claim 1 further including a resealable closure strip having one or more interlocking ribs and grooves extending substantially parallel to said inner seal. 
     
     
       5. The package of claim 4 wherein said closure strip is disposed inwardly from said inner seal. 
     
     
       6. The package of claim 4 wherein said closure strip is disposed between said inner seal and said tear away strip. 
     
     
       7. The package of claim 1 wherein said first line of weakening of said tear away strip is a perforation line extending through both of said two opposing faces of barrier film. 
     
     
       8. The package of claim 1 wherein said tear-away strip includes a peelable adhesive surface. 
     
     
       9. The package of claim 1 wherein said two opposing faces of barrier film are formed from two separate sheets of barrier film. 
     
     
       10. A hermetically sealed gas flushed or vacuum sealed package comprising: at least two opposing faces of barrier film having their faces in intimate contact about their periphery forming an outer seal;   an inner hermetic seal extending parallel with a portion of the outer hermetic seal and disposed inwardly therefrom cooperating with a portion of the outer seal to form a product cavity;   a line of weakening defining a tear away strip extending substantially parallel to said inner seal and disposed above the inner seal; and   a tab portion on one of said two opposing faces of barrier film integral with said tear away strip that separates from said package and forms a cutaway portion on one of said two opposing faces of barrier film when said tear away strip is severed from said package to allow easy separation of said two opposing faces of barrier film for access to said product cavity, said cutaway portion being formed by a perforation line extending downwardly from said tear away strip and through only one of said two opposing faces of barrier films.   
     
     
       11. The package of claim 10 wherein said barrier film is multilayered oxygen barrier film. 
     
     
       12. The package of claim 10 wherein said two opposing faces of barrier film are of dissimilar composition. 
     
     
       13. The package of claim 10 further including a resealable closure strip having one or more interlocking ribs and grooves extending substantially parallel to said inner seal. 
     
     
       14. The package of claim 13 wherein said closure strip is disposed inwardly from said inner seal. 
     
     
       15. The package of claim 10 wherein said closure strip is disposed between said inner seal and said tear away strip. 
     
     
       16. The package of claim 10 wherein said line of weakening of said tear away strip is a perforation line extending through both of said two opposing faces of barrier film. 
     
     
       17. The package of claim 10 wherein said tear away strip includes a peelable adhesive surface. 
     
     
       18. The package of claim 10 wherein said two opposing faces of barrier film are formed from two separate sheets of barrier film. 
     
     
       19. A hermetically sealed package comprising: at least two opposing faces of barrier film having said faces in intimate contact about their periphery forming an outer seal;   an inner seal extending substantially parallel with a portion of the outer seal and disposed inwardly therefrom cooperating with a second portion of said outer seal to form a product cavity;   a line of weakening defining a tear away strip extending substantially parallel to said inner seal and disposed above the inner seal; and   one of said two opposing faces of the barrier film having a prepunched or preperforated cutaway portion extending downwardly from said tear away strip toward said inner seal adapted to expose the inner and outer surfaces of at least one of said barrier films and to allow easy separation of said two opposing faces of barrier film when said tear away strip is removed.   
     
     
       20. The package of claim 19 wherein said barrier film is multilayered oxygen barrier film. 
     
     
       21. The package of claim 19 wherein said cutaway portion extends arcuately through one of said opposing faces of barrier film. 
     
     
       22. The package of claim 19 further including a resealable closure strip having one or more interlocking ribs and grooves extending substantially parallel to said inner seal. 
     
     
       23. The package of claim 22 wherein said closure strip is disposed inwardly from said inner hermetic vacuum seal. 
     
     
       24. The package of claim 22 wherein said closure strip is disposed between said inner hermetic vacuum seal and said tear away strip. 
     
     
       25. The package of claim 19 wherein said opposing faces of said barrier film are of dissimilar composition. 
     
     
       26. The package of claim 19 wherein said line of weakening of said tear away strip is a perforation line extending through both of said two opposing faces of barrier film. 
     
     
       27. The package of claim 19 wherein said two opposing faces of barrier film are formed from two separate sheets of barrier film. 
     
     
       28. A hermetically sealed package comprising: at least two sheets of barrier film disposed adjacent each other and having their inner faces in intimate contact about their periphery forming an outer seal;   an inner seal connecting the two sheets of barrier film extending parallel with a portion of the outer seal and disposed inwardly therefrom cooperating with a second portion of the outer seal to form a product cavity;   a first perforation line through both of said two sheets of barrier film extending substantially parallel to said inner seal and disposed between the outer seal and the inner seal to form a tear away strip; and   a second perforation line extending generally below said first perforation line in a generally closed loop and through only one of said two sheets of barrier film adapted to form a cutaway portion on one of said two sheets of barrier film when said tear away strip is severed from said product cavity to allow easy separation of said two sheets of barrier film for access to said product cavity.   
     
     
       29. A method of making a package, said method comprising: providing a first section of a barrier film having a cutaway portion spaced inwardly from one edge;   providing a second section of barrier film and positioning said second section of barrier film adjacent and in face to face contact with said first section of barrier film;   forming an outer seal about the periphery of said first section of barrier film and said second section of barrier film;   forming an inner seal extending parallel to one edge of said package and spaced inwardly therefrom and cooperating with a portion of said outer seal to form a product cavity; and   perforating both of said first section of barrier film and said second section of barrier film along a line through said cutaway portion when said first section of barrier film and said second section of barrier film are in face to face contact to define a tear away strip.   
     
     
       30. A method of making a package, said method comprising: providing two sheets of barrier film in adjacent face to face relationship;   forming an outer seal about the periphery of said two sheets of barrier film;   forming an inner hermetic seal extending substantially parallel to a portion of said outer seal and spaced inwardly therefrom cooperating with a second portion of said outer seal to provide a product cavity;   perforating both of said two sheets of barrier film along a line spaced inwardly from the periphery of the two sheets of barrier film whereby to define a tear away strip; and   perforating one of said two sheets of barrier film along an arcuate path extending from one segment of said line spaced inwardly form the periphery to another segment of said line spaced inwardly from the periphery.   
     
     
       31. A method of making a package, said method comprising: providing a first section of barrier film;   perforating, said first section of barrier film inwardly of an edge along an arcuate line for defining a cutaway area of said first section of barrier film;   providing a second section of barrier film and positioning said second section adjacent and in face-to-face contact with said first section of barrier film;   perforating both of said first section and said second section of barrier film along a line that extends through said cutaway area;   forming an outer seal about the periphery of said first and second sections of barrier film; and   forming an inner seal extending parallel to said edge and spaced inwardly therefrom and cooperating with a portion of said outer seal to form a product cavity.